prowrestlingfandomcom-20200223-history
1971
This is a list of various things that took place in 1971. Significant events No dates/undetermined *The World Wide Wrestling Federation rejoins the National Wrestling Alliance :*The Mongols (Geto and Bepo), the reigning WWWF International Tag Team Champions, leave the promotion early in the year and take their belts with them to the WWWF-affiliated Studio Wrestling promotion in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Late summer or early fall * Ray Morgan quits as play-by-play announcer for the WWWF's television programs shortly before a television taping, following a pay dispute with WWWF owner Vince McMahon Sr. Needing an announcer on-the-spot, the elder McMahon turns to his 25-year-old son, Vince Jr. -- he had promoted several events beforehand, but was looking for a bigger role in the company -- to handle commentary. A natural behind the mike (he had clearly studied the successful styles of veteran announcers, including Morgan), Vince Jr. made a successful debut and would be the primary voice of the WWWF (and later, WWF) for the next 26 years (until shortly after the Montreal Screwjob) September *25 - Heavyweight Wrestling, the WWWF's original syndicated program, airs for the final time October *2 - WWWF All-Star Wrestling debuts in syndication as a replacement for Heavyweight Wrestling Births January *1 - Josseline *5 - Monje Negro Jr. *7 - Chris Wright (Emit, North Carolina) February *8 - The Big Show (Aiken, South Carolina) *10 - Lisa Marie Varon (San Bernadino, California) *10 - Louie Spicolli *14 - Tommy Dreamer (Yonkers, New York) *22 - Super Caló *23 - Hikari Fukuoka (Akita, Japan) March *2 - Manami Toyota *5 - American Chippendale *6 - Sean Morley (Peterborough, Ontario, Canada) *10 - Debbie Malenko *17 - Cocolores *24 - Christopher Daniels April *4 - John Zandig (Sewell, New Jersey) *5 - Estrella de Fuego *21 - Axl Rotten (Baltimore, Maryland) May *12 - Doug Basham (Louisville, Kentucky) *19 - Nicho el Millionario *22 - Halloween *31 - Marcela June *4 - Rockero Tri *12 - Mark Henry (Sisby, Texas) *15 - Chuck Palumbo *16 - Super Yens July *1 - Abismo Negro *7 - Antifaz *7 - Chi Chi *14 - Bully Ray (Massapequa, New York) *21 - Shinjiro Ohtani August *25 - Green Ghost September *12 - Nishimura *12 - Shocker *24 - April Hunter October *8 - Al Katrazz (Vista, California) *9 - Stevie Richards (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) *19 - Sweet Saraya (Cornwall, England) *20 - Kaoru Ito *21 - Rey Apóstol *22 - Adam Flash (York Pennsylvania) *22 - Andrew Anderson (Ridgefield, New Jersey) *28 - Axxel December *12 - Kumo *24 - Oro *28 - John Saxon *30 - Bobby Lee Jr. Deaths June *17 - Alberto Torres 37 (Internal injuries) July *23 - Hercules Cortez (Car accident) Debuts *Afa Anoa'i *Gran Hamada January *1 - El Hijo Del Gladiador May *9 - Tatsumi Fujinami *30 - Tigro June *21 - Kendo Nagasaki July *15 - Relámpago Ramírez August *20 - Tinieblas September *16 - El Signo October *1 - Mano Negra *23 - La Parca December *13 - Asesino Negro (70s) Events August *27 - Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Supershow Title changes January *18 – Ivan Koloff wins the WWWF Heavyweight Championship from Bruno Sammartino in New York City February *8 – Pedro Morales wins the WWWF title from Ivan Koloff in New York City *15 – John Quinn and Dutch Savage win the NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship from Don Leo Jonathan and Steven Little Bear in Vancouver, British Columbia *22 – Fritz Von Erich wins the NWA American Heavyweight Championship from Toru Tanaka in Fort Worth, Texas *23 – Toru Tanaka regains the NWA American title from Fritz Von Erich in Dallas, Texas March *5 – Wahoo McDaniel wins the NWA American title from Toru Tanaka in Houston, Texas *15 – Dean Higuchi and Steven Little Bear win the NWA Canadian Tag Team title from John Quinn and Dutch Savage in Vancouver *27 – Stan Stasiak wins the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship from Dutch Savage in Portland, Oregon May *1 – Kurt Von Steiger wins the NWA Pacific Northwest title from Stan Stasiak in Portland *15 – Red Bastien and Hercules Cortez win the AWA World Tag Team Championship from Mad Dog and Butcher Vachon in Milwaukee, Wisconsin June *Luke Graham and Tarzan Tyler are awarded the WWWF Tag Team Championship as the first titleholders; they are claimed to have beaten Dick the Bruiser and The Sheik in a fictitious tournament final in New Orleans, Louisiana *14 – The Skull Brothers win the NWA Canadian Tag Team title from Dean Higuchi and Steven Little Bear in Vancouver *18 – Bruno Sammartino and Dominic DeNucci win the WWWF International Tag Team Championship from The Mongols in Pittsburgh July *2 – The Mongols regain the WWWF International Tag Team title from Bruno Sammartino and Dominic Denucci in Pittsburgh *5 – Dean Higuchi and Steven Little Bear regain the NWA Canadian Tag Team title from The Skull Brothers in Vancouver *19 – Steven Little Bear wins the NWA Pacific Coast Heavyweight Championship from Gene Kiniski in Vancouver *31 – Jonathan Boyd wins the NWA Pacific Northwest title from Kurt Von Steiger August *Red Bastien chooses The Crusher as his new AWA World Tag Team Championship partner after Hercules Cortez is killed in a car accident near St. Cloud, Minnesota on July 23 September *20 – "Bulldog" Bob Brown wins the NWA Pacific Coast title from Steven Little Bear in Vancouver October *11 – "Bulldog" Bob Brown and Gene Kiniski win the NWA Canadian Tag Team title from Dean Higuchi and Steven Little Bear in Vancouver *24 – Dutch Savage wins the NWA Pacific Northwest title from Jonathan Boyd November *12 – Luke Graham and Tarzan Tyler win the WWWF International Tag Team title from The Mongols in a title vs. title match in Pittsburgh (Graham and Tyler were also the reigning WWWF Tag Team Champions) *28 – Jonathan Boyd regains the NWA Pacific Northwest title from Dutch Savage *29 – Mark Lewin and Steven Little Bear win the NWA Canadian Tag Team title from "Bulldog" Bob Brown and Gene Kiniski in Vancouver December *11 – The Spoiler wins the NWA American title from Wahoo McDaniel in San Antonio, Texas *28 – Dutch Savage regains the NWA Pacific Northwest title from Jonathan Boyd in Portland See also Category:Wrestling Years